I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

I come from a place where Stihl reigns supreme and mention of anything else is blasphemy. Abit later on this year I am going to replace my old McCulloch MAC 10 which has a cracked block(luckily its below the piston skirt so at tdc there is no loss of compression and it only smokes but runs great). I have been offered an excellent deal on the MS290 FarmBoss Stihl and offered good dealings on the MS-310 which isn't kept instock which is whati originally went in to price. I noticed at the local Honda shop they sell Echo products which formerly I hadn't heard of. It claims to have a 5 years consumer warranty and to be an excellent no b.s. saw. But having never used one before I don't know. I can get one for about $100-150 less than the Stihl models I'm considering right now, particularly the CS-440 model w/ 20" bar. So if anyone has any experience of input i'd appreciate it.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

I hear Echo makes a good saw but in my estimation you would be much better off getting a Stihl or Huskevarna. With tools you get what you pay for and it is myfeeling that all tools need to be the best available if they are expected to last. I own Stihl products and use them all the time without any problems. Some of my friends have Huskevarnas and they say the same thing about their machines.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

Stihl... the only way to go. I've used one for years.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

I've got a Echo and so far its worked great, but I've only had it for 2 years. It did cut a lot of hedge this year and what really attracted me to it was how light weight it was. I hadn't heard of them before either, but a guy started selling them close by and I noticed the county workers were using them so I tried them. I had a 16 inch saw crap out on me so thats what I got, but if my 20 inch goes on me and I'm thinking it will before too long then I'll be replacing it with an echo too. My 20 inch is a Poland, whichis not ahigh dollarsaw, but its older than me lol

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

Husqvarna.

Got a Stihl, Poulan and Husqvarna. Husqvarna is the best in my opinion. Stihl is a fairly close second. Poulan [:'(].

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

I have had a Shindiawa 488 20" saw for the last 14 years and it has been and continues to be a great saw. It's cut many a cord of oak and has been through a few bars and numerous chains and I can choke it and it's going to be ready in 3 pulls of the rope regardless of how long it has sat.

With that said, 2 years ago I was in the market for another 20" and a smaller 12-14" pruning saw. I went to the local small engine/lawn care shop with my heart totally set on Stihl brand because of their reputation of being a good saw.
This shop sold Stihl, Shindaiwa and Echo brands and the salesperson talked me into an Echo over the other 2. I thought is was strange of him doing that but did take his advise and after 2 years of usage with these Echo's I havent had even a hitch with either of them. Only time will tell of course but I think the Echo line of tools is simular to Savage firearms, they offer a great product at a lesser exspense.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

A few of the guys haveEchos as power heads for their ice augers and they aren't all that good. They don't seem to put out enough power for that application. Best unit is the Tanaka head on the Nils Master auger.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

STIHL....my brother inlaw swears by it. he runs a lawn bussniess

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

I used to have a stihl 290 farmboss, from when they were still made in Germany, but it was stolen sometime during my wedding. All I know is that when we got back from the honeymoon it was gone. I ended up buying a stihl MS390. I wanted another 290 farmboss but the store owner told me that the MS 290 was not as powerful as the old 290 built in Germany. I don't know if he was full of it but he gave me a good deal in the 390 which he had in stock.

Its a good powerful saw, but two years after i got it it started running rough and cutting out. After about 30 mins of checking the spark plug and so forth I realized that the fuel line was rotten and had a hole in it. I went to my dealer and showed him the rotten fuel line, he said "oh yeah I always replace the fuel lines on those saws when I am doing a tune up, they go bad". I asked him why stihl didn't change how they made the part if they were always going bad, his response, " they're only $7.50".

I wish I still had my 290 farm boss.

Also i have a 22 year old Shindaiwa 450 chainsaw for limbing and such. It"s a great saw. Been though a bar or two with it and only had to rebuild the carb about 4 years ago and replace the pull cord once. Great saw.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

My son-in-law cut's trees for a living and all he has are Husqvarna saw's...

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

This question is really like asking what brand of bow is the best or what kind of truck is the best. Both of them are good saws, but if the Echo is cheaper I'd go with it. I promise you that you wont be dissapointed.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

Being an arborist I have tried a good many saws. I have 3 stihls and one huskavarna. I think the stihl has a slight advantage over the echo but they are both good saws. If they both had the same bar size andcc's I would just go with the cheaper of the two.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

Wow... now that I read your response I remembered about 2 years after I bought my MS290 Farm Boss it too started to run rough and was suddenly hard to start after sitting all winter. I always run my small engines dry before putting them up and seldom have any trouble in the spring. I brought it into the shop and they said the fuel line had a hole in it and they quickly changed it out. You had the same experience so there must be a defect in that model. Mine is about 5 or 6 years old and I bought a Stihl weed whacker at thesame time and that has always run great.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

to me you cant beat a stihl or a husky

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

Huskaall the way but if not in the cards I'd pickthestihl.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

Can't and I mean cant beat a Husky, Echos kinda suck!

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

I have a Husky in the shed that is 7 years old.

I probably should have drained the fuel out before I stored it, but I didn't and it has gotten harder to start. It even fouled out the sparkplug one day when I let it run for about 5 minutes on the ground while I was dragging brush.

I bought mine at a local Sears Repair center for about 1/2 the price of a new one. The local Sears reconditions them back to new. They usually are ones that a customer bought and took home and did not run right when it was new.

Not something with 100 hours on it.

There was not a single scratch on this saw when I bought it.

18" bar - Rancher Model and I think I paid $150 for it - with no case or tools.

The new Husky's have a bulb on the side of the case that you have to prime before you start it. It seem's to have fixxed all the old hard start problems that they had before with their older models of saws - for a person that does not use it every week or even run a tank out gas out of it in 6 months.

Sitting with old fuel seems to have a bigger effect on them than running them everyday.

Huskvarna and Stihl and Johnsered are all made by the same company.
Just that one is a industrial model and the other ( Husky) is geared more towards the homeowner / weekend firewood cutter.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

we have echos at work and they are always down. for occasional home use ive had several cheapies. bottom line is maitanance. oil- proprely mixed gas and sharp chain. drain when not in use. my cheapos always fire up.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

TURN YOUR MAN CARD IN FOR ASKING SUCH A QUESTION! In this country STIHL reigns supreme! LOL

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

Maybe in Alton but in the rest of NH Husky or Jonsered is what the big boys use!!!

:D

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

stihl oav.42 its a ture hoss, it takes it all.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

well solved my problems. a buddy i work with had a 1999 model 029 Farm Boss. He has got a new one and I traded him a NEF 12 gauge pardner for it even. new filter, cleaned the carb, new plug and it runs like a champ. gotta sharpen up the change but i am thrilled with that trade.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

For what it's worth, I am a full time Fire Fighter and we use Stihl chainsaws on the job. They are realiable, and run hard enoughfor us to count on them with our lives when we are in fires.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

Can't go wrong there. Stihl is a great saw. I lived in the Black Hills of SD and a lot of folks made their living with a chainsaw, they all used a Husky. The same guys would tell you to get a Stihl for farm/home use, great saw and cheaper than the Husky.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

I am glad you solved your problem and I do not think you went wrong. As some woodcutters use them as well up here. Most however use the Huskevarna for the saw of choice. But, that is for a living and not just around the farm or home use. So good luck with your saw, that is my 2 cents.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

i think Johnserds are the best i have on with a 36" bar for cutting down large cottenwoods, it has awesome power. but i also have a smaller stihl and it works great as well

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

All we run on our farm is echos. My wifes uncle and cousin run Jonsered and top of the line stihls and they can not kep up with echos we use. We buy only echo equipment, trimmers, saws, you name it. I havean Echo trimmer that my father in law bought 35 years ago and it still runslike new. I just had a new cable put in. Our saws still run like, you wont get 35 years out of a Stihl.

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

We also have an Echo sawthat is well over 30 years old, and it still runs like a bear withthe 20" bar. Only problem, it's very heavy!! After a few hours of continous cutting, your left arm and back sure feel the weight!! I'm seriously thinking of going with a new saw, but one that has the same power ouput, but 1/2 the weight!! Will watch this post close.;)

RE: I need chainsaw advice(Echo vs. Stihl)
 

Go with husquvarna!!!!! When I was logging,I had 10 at 1 time,5 of which were 394xp.
Best chainsaw ever made and bout the most I can handle with 1 hand.